Welcome to MFP and this group Heather.

Andrea

Hi Everyone,

My name is Tanya and I have been overweight most of my life. In high school I lost 30# by changing the way i ate and got down to the lowest I ever was, 120#. I gained it all back plus 30 more within two years. Then I had 3 children, one right after another, during which I gained another 40. I remember hovering at about 225 for about 13 years. In 2010 my Nana died, i was working and going to college both full time and my marriage was falling apart. This time my whole life felt out of control, so I controlled the one thing that I felt like I could control, my eating. I was absolutely crazy for doing it but I literally starved myself for 3 months and lost 100#. By starving myself I mean not eating for days at a time, once 5 days, till I almost passed out. Needless to say that was one of the dumbest things I have ever done. I definitely learned from that experience. I now know (and have always known) that moderation is the ONLY way to do it. In that year, 2010, during the huge weight loss, I came down with a neurological disease that is a lot like MS, but it doesn't progress. I asked my doctor if it may have been caused by my starvation, and he said no. But it seems like an awfully big coincidence to me. During my first few months of my illness I again turned back to food and here I am. I started on this site last Tuesday at 272.

I'm just so happy to be able to connect with people who are like me. I grew up and live in a small town. My youngest daughter graduated high school this year. At her graduation, and I'm not exaggreating, there were 2 large women. And I was one of them. Boy did that make me feel awful. Theres nobody near me who I can talk to or get support from. My mother is a diabetic and she's been "politely" on my case since I was a kid about my weight. When I was a teenager she would always "suggest" that I "suck it in." Its funny but I never really realized how damaging that was till one of my daughters told me that she said it to her. I've noticed that my often points out how fat and horrible certain people are. She never tells me straight up how fat and horrible I am, but I most certainly get the point. I'm not blaming my weight problem on her, but the criticism all my life sure didn't help.

My reason to lose weight this time is totally different than any other time in my life. Every other time has been for vanity. This time its for my health. I'm 41. I've had 2 blood clots in my life. One of them almost killed me. I feel awful all the time. My neurologist told me that I'd probably would feel better if I lost some weight. I can just barely do stairs. I huff and puff when I walk a short distance. I have diabetes on both sides of my family. I've been wondering lately if ill die of a heart attack early.I want to be around for my kids and my grandkids. Plus I want to actually LIVE my life, not just watch it pass by from my couch.

I can definitely relate to everyone who said that they've always been strong for everyone else, and taken care of everyone else. That's me too. By reading the group's threads I finally feel like I'm not all alone, or weird. Thank you all for that!

Please feel free to add me as a friend. I need as much support as I can get and ill be supportive and understanding to you as well

Tanya,

So much of your story is similar to mine, though despite my control freak tendencies, I've never managed enough strength (good or bad) to force anything on myself as you have.

I never realized how much of life was passing me by until a man returned into my life and reminded me of what life could be!!

Let's find a way to get happier, healthier, live the heck out of our lives, and maybe lose some weight along the way!

Hugs,
Carly in OK

Hi all! My name is Ashley and I'm currently morbidly obese, but I'm working on it!
I started this journey 77 days ago, on June 9th. My reason...I'm just sick and tired of being unhealthy! I have PCOS and want to get healthy enough to hopefully get my system back to normal and maybe, God willing, have a baby!
SW-324
CW-297
GW- 150 (and from there, eh, we'll see!)

I'm doing well, I've already done a 5k, and planning on another! I love my new active lifestyle and I'm excited to see my weight keep on dropping! If anyone wants to add me, I'm on daily and I'd love for us to support each other!

Hi. My name is Marianne and this is my second time around at MFP.

I originally started in 2009 under a different profile name.

In 2012, I deleted my old profile after losing 82lbs and hitting a hard plateau. I'd hoped the new ID would help "reset" my commitment. But it didn't.

Now, 2014 is here. I've gained all the weight back and am fully committed again. I feel it!

I have been morbidly obese for 20 years.

SW: 297.2
CW: 293.9
GW: 158

Welcome Everyone!!!!!!

Wow - so many new intros I missed!!! Look forward to seeing you all in our daily posts - that is where we do most of our topics!

Hugs, Carly in OK

A huge welcome to all our new members! spooks.. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your husband.. there are no words.. that is very tough for anyone to deal with.

Everyone please join in our daily threads, there is always some topic of discussion and it is the place we get to know each other. Don't be shy, although it might seem a small group on the threads, they are longer term members and have come to know each other some, but we are very welcoming of new people coming in and want to encourage everyone.

Really new here. Question: to see daily threads do I come here or do I add the writer as a friend? (such a beginner)

I've a similar story to many I've seen here. I'm 43 years old, 5'3 and 317 lbs when I started 48 days ago. I've used MFP religiously during the 48 days and have tried to exercise daily. I'm down 36 lbs as of this morning. I'm sticking to 1500 cal/day and trying not to eat my exercise calories. I try to reach 500 calories burned each day which is about 3 miles on my treadmill at a 1-2 grade incline. Sometimes I shoot for 75 minutes and a few other days I've gone 90-111 minutes.

I'm ready for a life change. I've lost 125 lbs before and gained it back again.

I wish you all, and myself, the best as we travel through this journey.

Laurie

Hi. I'm new to this group. I've been with MFP for a while, but really just started poking around at all the features other than logging. I like the positive support that I see from the members. Everyone seems so welcoming.

I started at 382 about a year and a half ago. Down to 301 now. Waiting for the 2's, which seems to be so close, but yet so far.

I'm looking forward to sharing this journey with the members here.

- Sharon

I've been struggling the past few weeks. I posed the question does one have to deal with/overcome the mental aspect of losing weight in order to be successful, consensus says yes. I have no idea how to do that. It's clear I need to get in to see a therapist. I just get so scared that I will never overcome the weight issue, what's the point of anything I am doing if only to fail, again. I can't think about food or myself without crying. I have every tool I could possibly need to be successful, but then there's me...my thoughts, feelings, all that crap that I tried and tried again to deal with but clearly have not. I often think, why can't you just say F it, who cares why you're fat, just do something about it now...why isn't it that simple? Am I just not getting something? Am I just lazy? I think what scares me the most is that somewhere within I have the power to turn this all around but can't seem to find the light to follow.

Thanks for listening.

Hi I just came across this group, I have been morbidly obese my entire life, I have lost weights many many times, The most I have ever lost is 100 lbs then I just start gaining again .

I got married 2 1/2 years ago and got really comfortable and now I am the biggest I have been, I don't even know how much I weight because my scales won't go that far, I have ordered new scales and waiting for them to get here , I have been eating healthier for the last month , and determined to be. Better me and stay that way ,

Please feel free to add me so we can encourage each other , I prefer open diaries for added motivation

@wyatts_momma_1027 Many of us are still active here, though this group isn't per se. I'm involved in other groups related to ongoing issues (PCOS among other things) and a "safe share" group, which sounds like it might be something for you. Most of us are in the morbidly obese category as well, but that group is locked and invite only for safety reasons. If you're interested, just let me know and I will send you an invite.

And the first thing I think when I see your post is - NEVER APOLOGIZE for your reasons. It is not SILLY. If it is important to you, it matters. That will be important more than you know, because the mental side of this is so much harder than the physical side.

The second thing I thought was, "Wow, adjust a few small details, and your store was ME."

If you are only looking at your TSH for thyroid function, that can take 10-15 years for true deficiencies to show up in that value. There are a handful of other tests your doctors can and should run if you've any chance of this issue.

If you are only considering A1C and Fasting Glucose - but not Fasting Insulin, you could still be insulin resistant, which nearly 95% + of all obese and up folks are, especially if you've ever tried to lose weight and struggled. This can be important in crafting your weight loss plan.

Cholesterol is really not a huge issue unless your triglycerides are over 150 or high when everything else is crazy low.

There are adrenal tests that should be run after having a baby that can have a major impact on your ability to lose weight.

Other than that, I will say that just doing CICO worked for me for my first 50 pounds, but that wasn't the safest way to lose weight, nor did it stay off long term. I started at 319 (heaviest in doc's records), 5'4", in 2009, I think. In 2015, I got down to 239, but with the dietary plan I was on, I unintentionally restricted important nutrients I needed to support thyroid function, and have spent the last 18+ months recovering from knocking my thyroid function out of whack. I'm hoping come April that I'll have positive results, as I'm back up to 280, but I can't strain my body functions to focus on weight loss yet.

No matter when - even at my heaviest, I was never able to lose 2 pounds a week, so please be aware that while it is possible, it will be difficult, it will required dedication, and please set up other markers of success so that you won't be disappointed if it doesn't work out. Also, remember that weight loss is NOT linear. While you probably don't want pictures right now, I strongly advise taking pictures and measurements now, because when you have lost weight - and you will, because you are determined - I can tell! -- you will desperately want those pictures. So take them...and agree that if you still hate them when you get to goal, you can burn them or whatever.

Above all, be sure to focus on gaining health rather than losing weight. It is the only thing that helps me retain any of my sanity! You have youth on your side (I'm 40 now), and I wish you all the luck in the world! Kiddos are a heck of a motivation!